Harlow Nassry
is a technology journalist with the Federal Times. In 3304, he reported on the efforts of Herculean Machines and Supratech to debut new personal computer models: the Duradrive and the Torc. He also published an article on the hacker group known as the Collective. Timeline 24 OCT 3304 *Technology journalist Harlow Nassry has published an article in The Federal Times regarding a mysterious criminal group known only as 'the Collective': "Several recent digital crimes, including the theft of a billion credits from Zachary Rackham, have now been attributed to the Collective. Security forces have launched investigations, but it seems that the name is already well known among hacker communities. The Collective is a group of anti-authority 'hacktivists' who believe that all information should be publicly available. It has existed for some years, but until recently its activities have been small scale. Nobody knows the identity of the group's members, which has no spokespersons or apparent leaders. As anarchists, they delight in flouting the law, believing that all data should be in the public domain – except, of course, data about themselves. Some see the Collective as irresponsible criminals, while others paint them as modern-day Robin Hoods. Either way, as possibly the best hackers in the galaxy, it's likely we’ll be hearing more about them in the future."GalNet: The Collective 05 OCT 3304 *Harlow Nassry reported on the Rackham Ultratech Expo for the Federal Times: "All eyes were on Herculean Machines and Supratech, whose competing designs for personal computers have created a real buzz. Following lavish presentations from rival CEOs Maddox Hurd and Scorpio DeVorrow, prototypes of the Duradrive and Torc were given to attendees. Unfortunately for Supratech, the Torc's holographic systems did not work as planned. Most users were surrounded by an incomprehensible aura of colours and images that, in some cases, brought on nausea. The Duradrive, by contrast, functioned perfectly. The highlight of the expo came when Zachary Rackham tested a Duradrive by jumping on it, before using it to contact his chief accountant and authorise preliminary funding for the device. He told the crowd, 'I could have done with one of these back in my spacefaring days!' It's clear that the support given to Herculean Machines by the galactic community has allowed them to deliver a superior product – one we can expect to see on the market soon."GalNet: Herculean Machines Dominates Expo 28 SEP 3304 *Rival companies Herculean Machines and Supratech have resumed development of their new personal computers. Harlow Nassry, technology journalist at The Federal Times, has been following events: "After the mysterious fire that destroyed Supratech’s factory and the equally mysterious scandal that scared off Herculean Machines's investors, it seemed like neither company would complete its new designs. But successful requests for public support have turned that around. Maddox Hurd and Scorpio DeVorrow, the heads of Herculean and Supratech respectively, both received enough materials to produce functional prototypes for the Rackham Ultratech Expo on Wednesday the 3rd of October. This expo is crucial for both companies. Rackham Capital Investments and other corporate sponsors will be paying close attention, and Zachary Rackham himself will be present, eager to get his hands on the latest gadgets. Both the customisable Duradrive and the wearable Torc have captured the public imagination, but the prototypes' performance is key. The amount of commodities each company received might be the deciding factor in their commercial success."GalNet: Computer Companies Resume Development 14 SEP 3304 *An anonymous source has revealed that Maddox Hurd, owner of technology company Herculean Machines, was previously investigated by the Federal Security Service. The source shared recently declassified FSS records on the Rewired news channel, and stated: "When establishing Herculean five years ago, Maddox Hurd accepted financial contributions from individuals connected to organised-crime networks, such as the Red Family. While Hurd did not technically break the law, the FSS has kept a close eye on him ever since." In the wake of this news, a number of Herculean Machines' corporate investors withdrew their support. Maddox Hurd told the media: "This is a smear campaign, and those underhanded snakes at Supratech are behind it!" Scorpio DeVorrow, CEO of rival company Supratech, declined to comment, but Harlow Nassry, technology journalist at The Federal Times, observed: "With Herculean Machines losing investment and Supratech's facility destroyed, both companies are in a compromised position. Unless they can drum up additional support, neither will be able to unveil their new designs at the Rackham Ultratech Expo in October."GalNet: Investors Abandon Herculean Machines References